Location caller identification information method and apparatus

Abstract

The present invention is related to the provision of location related information regarding a communication device. Such location related information may be provided in response to a request for such information made in connection with an individual request, or in response to a pre-provisioned request for such information. The present invention is capable of providing location related information even when communication devices are on disparate networks, and when communication devices are roaming. The present invention further provides for the validation of requests for location related information.

1 . A system for providing communication device location information, comprising: 
 a first communication device;    a second communication device;    a location service center node;    a communication network interconnected to said first communication device, said second communication device, and said location service center node, wherein a request for location related information received from a first one of said first and second communication devices regarding a second one of said first and second communication devices is validated.    
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said validated request is made by a subscriber to a location determining service.  
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said validated request is made by a network node.  
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said communication network comprises a plurality of networks.  
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein said first communication device is associated with a first network and said second one of said first and second communication devices is associated with any one of at least first and second communication networks.  
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said location service center node is in communication with a location determining entity.  
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said second one of said first and second communication devices comprises a wireless telephone.  
     
     
         8 . A location service network node, comprising: 
 data storage, operable to store at least one of data and application programming;    a processor, operable to execute application programming;    a first communication interface, operable to interconnect said node to a communication network and operable to send and receive location information, wherein location information regarding a first communication device is received from a communication network, and wherein location related information regarding said first communication device is directed to a second communication device.    
     
     
         9 . The location service network node of  claim 8 , wherein said location related information comprises said location information.  
     
     
         10 . The location service network node of  claim 8 , wherein said location information indicates a location of said first communication device in a first format, and wherein said location related information indicates a location of said first communication device in a second format.  
     
     
         11 . A method for obtaining location related information, comprising: 
 initiating a request for location related information associated with a first one of a first communication device and a second communication device;    validating said request;    querying a location determining entity for location information;    providing at least one of said location information and said location related information to a communication device.    
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said at least one of said location information and said location related information is provided to a second one of said first communication device and said second communication device.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said initiating a request comprises requesting a communication link between said first and second communication devices.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said querying a location determining entity comprises providing said location determining entity with information identifying said first one of said first communication device and said second communication device.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said information identifying comprises at least one of a telephone number, an Internet protocol address, and an equipment identification number associated with said first one of a first communication device and a second communication device.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1   1 , wherein said initiating a request comprises using said second one of said first communication device and said second communication device to contact said location determining entity.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1   1 , wherein said first communication device is a calling communication device.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said first communication device is a called communication device.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1   1 , wherein said validating said request is performed in connection with a location service center.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said location related information comprises at least one of a cell site location, a cell site identifier, a latitude and longitude, and a UTM coordinate.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 1   1 , further comprising: 
 receiving said location information at a location service center;    generating said location related information from said received location information, wherein said location related information is provided to said communication device initiating said request for said location related information.    
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said location related information comprises said location information.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said location related information comprises at least one of a latitude and longitude, and UTM coordinate, a cell site location, a cell site identifier, a place name, a street address, weather conditions and a map.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said location information is delivered over a first communication network.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising: 
 establishing a communication link between said first and second communication devices over a second communication network.    
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein each request for location related information is initiated by a subscriber to a location determining service, and wherein said subscriber is associated with said first one of a first communication device and a second communication device.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein said step of validating said request comprises verifying that an account of said subscriber is in good standing.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising communicating said at least one of said location information and said location related information to a user of said second one of said first communication device and said second communication device.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein said providing at least one of said location information and said location related information to said second one of said first communication device and said second communication device is authorized by a user of said first one of said first communication device and said second communication device.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein said communicating comprises displaying.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein said communicating comprises providing a verbalization.  
     
     
         32 . A method of providing communication device location related information, comprising: 
 receiving a request for location related information associated with a first communication device;    validating said request;    obtaining information comprising a location of said first communication device; and    in response to a valid request, communicating said location related information to at least one of said first communication device and a second communication device.    
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein said first communication device is one of a calling communication device and a called communication device.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein said request for location related information is received from one of said first and second communication devices.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein said request for location related information is received from a network node.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein said request is received at a location r service center interconnected to said first communication device by a first network.  
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein said first and second communication devices communicate with one another over a second network.  
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising receiving identifying information associated with said first communication device.  
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising receiving identifying information related to said second communication device.  
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein said step of validating said request comprises validating a subscription for location related information associated with said communication device to which said identifying information is to be communicated.  
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein said step of validating said request comprises validating a subscription for location related information associated with said communication device to which said identifying information is to be communicated.  
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein said step of validating said request comprises validating a grant of permission by a user of said first communication device to provide said requested location related information.  
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein said step of receiving a request for location related information associated with a communication device comprises receiving a request for a communication link with a first one of said first and second communication devices from a second one of said first and second communication devices.  
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein said request for location related information is generated automatically, without manual intervention by a user of said first or second communication device.  
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein said location related information is communicated to said at least one of said first communication device and said second communication device by at least one of a short message service and a multi-message service.  
     
     
         46 . A system for providing location related information associated with a mobile communication device, comprising: 
 means for determining a location of a first communication device,    means for querying said means for determining a location for a location of said first communication device; and    means for validating a request for location related information associated with said first communication device.    
     
     
         47 . The system of  claim 46 , further comprising means for communicating said location related information to a requester.  
     
     
         48 . The system of  claim 47 , wherein said means for communicating comprises a second communication device.  
     
     
         49 . The system of  claim 48 , wherein said second communication device comprises wireless communication means.